The Burma Army ordered Chin parliamentarians to vacate government housing on Thursday, February 4, after stripping them of their titles.
All the MPs, including Salai Lian Lwi, Chin State Chief Minister, Zo Bwe, speaker for Parliament and Soe Htet, minister of Municipal, Electricity and Industry, were being held at a hostel in the army’s camp in Hakha.
While being detained by the Burma Army the ministers couldn’t contact anyone, including their families, Shwe Htee-O, minister of Transportation, told Khonumthung News.
“They didn’t ask any questions or do anything bad to us. They gave us food.”
Shwe Htee-O said he was held with Pau Lum Ming Thang, minister of Health and Social Affairs and Mang Hin Derl, NLD MP for Tedim Township.
Following their release from the army camp, the parliamentarians were under house arrest at their government residences until they were evicted.
According to Shwe Htee-O, four Chin State ministers are still being held in the military camp.
The Burma Army took over the country this Monday, February 1, arresting State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma’s president, Win Myint.
The military’s vice-president appointee in the NLD cabinet, Myint Swe, was handed temporary presidential power.
He declared a state of emergency, transferring legislative, executive and judicial power to commander-in-chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing.